Roby Mook, Hillary Clinton’s former campaign manager in 2016, testified in court on Friday that Clinton gave the campaign permission to share allegations linking Alfa Bank and then-candidate Trump with the media.
Special Counsel John Durham indicted former top Clinton campaign lawyer Michael Sussmann for making a false report to the FBI linking Trump to Russia. Sussmann denies the charges and is fighting them in court. The trial began last Monday.
Mook testified that while the campaign was not “totally confident in the legitimacy of the data,” it shared the information with the media and hoped that a reporter would dig further and confirm it. He stated that campaign general counsel Marc Elias briefed him on Alfa Bank. He had discussed it with Jake Sullivan, the current national security adviser who had previously served as the campaign’s senior advisor and campaign chairman John Podesta.
The media has paid little interest in covering Special Counsel Durham’s investigation. There has also been scant public opinion polling related to the topic, except for polling by TIPP.
The Mook-Clinton revelation is significant in the context of American public opinion. Our data also shows how the media’s failure to cover Special Counsel Durham’s investigation has kept the public in the dark.
TIPP collaborated with investigative journalist Paul Sperry, who has broken many important stories on this topic. The New York Post published the most recent story in February on our poll of 1,308 Americans completed in January 2022.
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That survey showed that only 28% of those who participated followed the Durham story. The low awareness of the Durham probe was due to low media interest in covering Durham.
We asked a follow-up question to those following the Durham investigation:Â How important is it that Hillary Clinton also is investigated for her role to frame Trump as a Russian agent?Most Americans who followed the story (73 percent) thought Durham needed to investigate Clinton.
A majority of Americans across all political stripes and ideologies believed so. This included 66 percent of Democrats, 91 percent of Republicans, and 65 percent of Independents following the story.
By ideology, 87 percent of conservatives, 76 percent of moderates, and 50 percent of liberals agreed it was important to investigate Clinton’s role.
Another TIPP Poll of 1,308 Americans completed in early October 2021 found that 400 respondents (31%) were aware of the Durham investigation. The study authored by Paul Sperry was published in the Epoch Times.
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We asked those following the investigation a follow-up question: In light of this (Susman) indictment, which of the following, in your opinion, should be questioned as part of the investigation by prosecutor Durham? The responses revealed interesting insights.
Six in ten wanted to question Clinton, while 58 percent said they wanted to see Jake Sullivan and other Clinton aides questioned before the federal grand jury Durham’s impaneled in D.C.
Another 53 percent wanted to question President Obama. As Paul Sperry noted in his story: Obama was engaged in the Russiagate investigation’s progress. During the 2016 campaign, both the FBI and CIA briefed him about it. After the election, he held a high-level White House meeting to discuss investigating Trump and his advisers. In fact, he ordered then-FBI Director James Comey to “look at things” and put “the right people” on the case.
Most Republicans (70 percent) and independents (62 percent) wanted Durham to question Biden about his role in the investigation of Trump. Only 36 percent of Democrats said they wanted to see Biden interviewed.
Paul Sperry noted in his story that Biden attended the high-level January 2017 meeting and even offered the FBI a pretext to investigate ret. Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who Trump had nominated as his National Security Adviser.
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Maggie Goodlander’s Conflict Of Interest
Mook testified that he discussed the matter with Jake Sullivan. Jake Sullivan’s wife Maggie Goodlander is counsel to Biden-appointed Attorney General Merrick Garland, who oversees the Special Counsel Durham’s Office, his budget, and Durham’s final report release.
Goodlander and Garland have a close personal relationship. They exchanged warm sentiments during a 2020 interview conducted by Goodlander, then a law professor at the University of New Hampshire.
“One of the real joys and benefits of being able to clerk for you was to have an insider’s view on how you do your job,” Goodlander gushed. “You can ask me as many questions as you want, Mag!” Garland said.
The January poll introduced Maggie Goodlander to respondents aware of the Durham probe and asked how important it is that Maggie Goodlander recuse herself from matters or decisions regarding Durham’s investigation?
Most of those following the Durham story (76%) wanted Maggie Goodlander to recuse from the Durham probe. The consensus was unanimous among all parties and ideologies. They understand that she can’t be involved in matters related to the probe since her husband played an active role in Hillary Clinton’s campaign.
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Confidence in the FBI and DOJ
The Russia collusion story has taken its toll on the FBI and the Department of Justice (DOJ). The Durham investigation can help restore confidence in both agencies.
A February TIPP Poll showed that only 46% of Americans trust the FBI. Trust in the FBI divides along party and ideological lines. Most Democrats (57%) and most liberals (58%) trust the FBI. But, most Republicans (55%) and a majority of conservatives (58%) lack trust. A majority of Independents (53%) lack trust. Moderates are divided – 48% trust and 40% lack trust.
A majority of Americans (52%) mistrust the DOJ. Only 41% trust the agency. Here again, party and ideology drive the perceptions:
Most Democrats (53%) and liberals (51%) trust the DOJ.
Most Republicans (61%) and conservatives (57%) don’t trust the DOJ.
Both Independents (59%) and moderates (50%) don’t trust the DOJ.
Americans want to have faith in and respect for the FBI. A thorough Durham investigation would help put closure to questions about the origins of the Russia probe.
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By TIPP Insights Editorial Board, Tipp Insights
